NEW DELHI: The statutory environment panel has revoked the clearance given to South Korean steel major Posco's Rs 54,000-crore integrated steel plant and port project in Jagatsinghpur in Odisha, raising fears that the venture may get further delayed.

Posco will now have to go through the process of environmental clearance— at least some part it — all over again.

The expert appraisal committee on industry, which is the apex environmental clearance body for industrial projects, has asked the company to furnish detailed information on a variety of aspects, including iron ore linkage, layout plan for the project, waste management plan before it can consider fresh clearance.

The South Korean steelmaker's project is the single-largest foreign direct investment in the country, and the administration is keen that it takes off the ground as soon as possible.

The decision by the environment panel comes following the recommendations made by the National Green Tribunal-mandated K Roy Paul Committee.

In March 2012, the Green tribunal suspended the final clearance granted in January 2011 and had asked the ministry to institute a fresh expert committee to look into the project. The K Roy Paul Committee submitted its report in October.

At its meeting on March 6, the expert appraisal committee noted, "Keeping in view the observations/recommendations made by the said Expert Committee [K Roy Paul committee], the previous recommendation of the Expert Appraisal Committee (Industry -1) for extension of validity period of environment clearance accorded to M/s Posco India Private Limited has become infructuous."

The panel, which considered the expert report, also heard submissions from Posco and Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation, and asked the developers to submit a revised plan for 2,700 acres of land, and mark out the initial plant size of 4 million tonnes per annum and the proposed expansion to a capacity of 12 million tonnes over an area of 4,004 acres.

It also asked for plans for the 33% green belt, documents outlining the iron ore linkage for the plant, commitment for gas linkage for the captive power plant, among other things.